Hello, this is Yukko from the editorial team! Today, I’d like to introduce you to Suita City, Osaka Prefecture, the birthplace of Junpei Goto of the comedy duo JALJAL!
the Tower of the Sun by artist Taro Okamoto
Speaking of Suita City, there exists the Tower of the Sun by artist Taro Okamoto.” The “Tower of the Sun” was built as part of the theme pavilion for the Japan World Exposition (Expo’70). Today, more than half a century later, it is still loved by citizens as the symbol of the Expo’70 Commemorative Park. In the movie version of Naoki Urasawa’s masterpiece “20th Century Boys,” the “Tower of Friendship”, a homage to the Tower of the Sun, has a powerful impact.
In 2018, the fourth face is back after almost half a century!
The Tower of the Sun, which was closed for a long time after the Expo, was revived in 2018 for the first time in 48 years after seismic reinforcement work was completed. The interior of the tower is now open to the public on a permanent basis. The Tower of the Sun is most impressive for its unique “face,” but do you know how many faces it has in total?
There are three faces on the exterior of the Tower of the Sun: the golden face (future), the sun face (present), and the black face (past). In fact, at the time of the exposition, there was a fourth face in the underground exhibition hall as the “Underground Sun. After that, its whereabouts were lost, and it was discussed as a phantom face. However, during the restoration work, the fourth face was restored and is now on display.
International Expo to be held in Osaka again in 2025!
In 2025, the Japan International Exposition (Osaka-Kansai Expo) will be held again in Suminoe Ward, Osaka Prefecture. The theme of the 1970 Osaka Expo held in Suita City was “Progress and Harmony of Mankind”; the theme of the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo will be “Designing a Future Society that Shines with Life” On March 22, 2022, the official mascot character was officially announced on March 22, 2022.
本日、#大阪・関西万博 の公式キャラクターデザインが決定しました❗️
— Expo2025 大阪・関西万博 (@expo2025_japan) March 22, 2022
世界中から愛され、親しみを持たれるキャラクターとして育てていきます。
たくさんのご意見、ありがとうございました☺#Expo2025#Osaka #kansai#大阪・関西万博公式キャラクター pic.twitter.com/kjNuOf5NTy
When the Osaka-Kansai Expo is held in 2025, why not visit the Tower of the Sun in Suita City, which Mr. Goto of JALJAL may have visited, and see the Tower of the Sun?
The Official Site of the Tower of the Sun Museum→https://taiyounotou-expo70.jp/en/
Text: Yukko
